Tooth decay is on the increase

Even fruit juices, which are generally considered a healthy option, can contain high levels of sugar. Nicole Hill / The National

DUBAI // Almost two thirds of 15 to 17-year-olds have tooth cavities, while 80 per cent of 12 to-15-year-olds suffer from gum problems, a dental survey of more than 5,500 youngsters from across Dubai has found.
Screening of students at 47 government and private schools revealed alarming levels of dental problems, with instances of tooth decay in 5 to 7-year-olds more than six times worse than levels in the UK and Denmark.
Dubai Health Authority dentists and hygienists carried out screening programmes and clinical examinations of 5,617 students aged 5 to 17, with the results prompting a call for an improved dental care and education programme.
"We were expecting these results after seeing the number of children with bad teeth visiting us," said Dr Hamda Al Mesmar, DHA dental services director. "What was surprising was discovering many children did not brush their teeth at all. Of those who do brush, some did not know how to do it correctly.
"Poor dental care is mainly a result of bad habits that have been passed down.
"When we asked parents about what their children drank, many said they gave them juices instead of fizzy drinks," Dr Al Mesmar said. "But we explained fruit drinks are also very high in sugar. Parents think it is OK. That's where the role of health education comes in."
Training for school nurses will be improved where necessary through specialist programmes on dental hygiene.
Students aged 5 to 7 at schools in Deira, Bur Dubai, Lusaily and Hatta had, on average, 3.8 instances each of decayed, missing, or filled teeth - known as the DMF index. On average children of the same age in North Africa and the Middle East scored 1.9, while in the UK, figures from 2013 show DMF applies to just 0.6 children, with the same number for Denmark in 2012.
In 2011, children in Qatar scored 1.6, while children in Oman scored 1.3 in 2006.
The DHA aims to reduce the DMF index in children aged 5 to 7 to just 0.6 before 2020.
It is hoped the ambitious goal will be achieved through changing habits thanks to better education and prevention sessions.
Engineer Essa Al Maidoor, director-general of the DHA, said such surveys were vital to assess a population's health needs.
"We can base our policies on evidence-based data and benchmark ourselves internationally," he said.
Mobile dental screening clinics will visit schools and nurseries twice a year to make regular assessments and offer advice.
Experts at the three-day International Dental Conference in Dubai said dental problems would only get worse as individuals age, placing more importance on taking action now.
"The level of resources and intervention from a public health and clinical perspective is inconsistent in our region," said Jawad Behbehani, dentistry professor at Kuwait University. "In some Arab countries the vast majority of children are suffering from a problem that we know how to stop. Tooth decay deserves greater attention. [It is] an important health issue."
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